Royal baby: William and Kate name their son George - BBC News BBC News Royal baby: William and Kate name their son George 24 July 2013 Close share panel Image caption The name of the new prince has been announced two days after his birth The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named their son George Alexander Louis, Kensington Palace has said. The third in line to the throne, who was born on Monday at 16:24 BST, will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. The Queen was told of Prince George's name when she met him for the first time on Wednesday. The family are at the Middleton home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, after spending a night at Kensington Palace. George was the bookmakers' favourite for the first name of the prince. The duke and duchess had been expected to pick a traditional royal name for their son, who was born at St Mary's Hospital in London, weighing 8lbs 6oz. Royal infants usually have historical names which are passed down through the generations.

Image caption The duke and duchess gave the world its first glimpse of Prince George on Tuesday Image caption The duke joked that his son had "got a good pair of lungs on him, that's for sure". Image caption Prince George is the first child for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - and is third in line to the throne Image caption The duke and duchess left hospital on Tuesday night for Kensington Palace, which is expected to be their new home Image caption There were celebrations across the country on news of the prince's birth, including a 62-gun salute outside the Tower of London Image caption On Wednesday morning, the Queen met her great-grandson for the first time and was told his name then Image caption Other Georges to have been king include George III (L), George V and the Queen's father, George VI (R) Image caption Now the name has been announced, the Prince George merchandise will be rolling off the conveyor belt There have been six King Georges up to now, most recently the Queen's father, although his first name was Albert and he was known to his family as Bertie.

The name Louis is Prince William's fourth name and is likely to be a tribute to Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Duke of Edinburgh's uncle and the last British Viceroy of India before independence in 1947. At the scene By Luisa BaldiniBBC News, Kensington Palace On the grass in front of Kensington Palace the name George has been spelt out with dozens of little boxes. "It is a product to help breast-feeding mothers," an entrepreneurial woman replies when asked what is in the boxes. "A food supplement. We want to get some to Kate but she is not here is she?" Indeed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left Nottingham cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace in the early afternoon and most passers-by are unaware that this week's most famous new parents have named their son. Waiting reporters reveal the name to some of the enquiring public. Most are satisfied with the choice. "Not surprising," say others. Only one crinkles up his nose when he hears the three names.

For a few minutes there is a buzz around the camera crews as broadcasters analyse the significance of George Alexander Louis and then the park returns to normal as the cyclists and runners drift by, oblivious that His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, their future king, has been named. Prince Charles was immensely fond of his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten. Known by the Royal Family as Uncle Dickie, he was assassinated by the IRA in August 1979. The prince's other middle name - Alexander - is one that three medieval Scottish kings have had, and was also the name of the famous 4th Century ruler Alexander the Great. The Queen's middle name is Alexandra. BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said George will be seen as a tribute to the Queen's father but the couple are said to genuinely like the name themselves. Alexander was a favourite of Catherine's, he added. The BBC's Peter Hunt said Prince George does not have to be King George if he accedes to the throne - he can choose another name, as the Queen's father did. "Royal names are diminishing. Edward VIII had 7; Prince Charles has 4; Prince William 4; Prince George 3. #princegeorge," he tweeted .

Charles Mosley, author of Blood Royal, told the BBC he knew it would be George. "It was the name of the sovereigns under whom this country became a world player - in the 19th Century, defeating Napoleon, and in the 20th Century, winning two world wars. "Louis is a nod in the direction of the Mountbatten element in the Royal Family. And indeed the surname of the royal family is still Mountbatten. His (Prince George's) birth certificate and marriage certificate will say Mountbatten-Windsor." As well as being an established regal name, George is also a saint's name. St George was an early Christian martyr and is the patron saint of England. The announcement of the new prince's name has been relatively quick compared with previous royal babies. It was seven days before the name of a newborn Prince William was announced in 1982, and there was a wait of a month following Prince Charles's birth in 1948. King Georges George I - Born 1660, Hanover. Reign: 1714-27 George II - Born 1683, Hanover.

Reign: 1727-60 George III - Born 1738, London. Reign: 1760-1820 George IV - Born 1762, London. Reign: 1820-1830 George V - Born 1865, London. Reign: 1910-36 George VI - Born 1895, Sandringham. Reign: 1936-1952 The Queen spent 30 minutes with her new great-grandson on Wednesday. At a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, the monarch said she was "thrilled" at the arrival of her third great-grandchild. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and Catherine's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, paid visits to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. Later that day, Catherine's sister Pippa Middleton went to Kensington Palace and Prince Harry also paid his new nephew a visit. The duke and duchess left Kensington Palace shortly after the Queen's visit and were driven to Bucklebury.

It had been expected that the couple would want to spend time at the duchess's family home but it is not known how long they will stay. Prince William has two weeks' paternity leave before he is due back to work in Anglesey where he is an RAF search and rescue pilot. Why is the royal baby called George Alexander Louis? Kate and William 'liked the names' | Daily Mail Online 'They liked the names... no more, no less': Palace reveals why Kate and William chose GEORGE ALEXANDER LOUIS for their baby Kensington Palace revealed the baby's full name will be George Alexander Louis The third in line to the throne will be known as Prince George George was the bookmakers' favourite once Kate's pregnancy was announced The Queen saw her great-grandson for the first time yesterday morning She would have been told by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge of their choice Six King Georges have worn the crown throughout history Royal biographer Robert Lacey said the choice of George would give the Queen 'great pleasure' Kate and William Name Prince George - After These Royals Pinterest John Stillwell/AP Little George Alexander Louis has quite a special name – and it was chosen with love and a nod to history by his parents, William and Kate .

Third in line to the throne, the new arrival will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. His parents announced their 2-day-old ‘s moniker shortly after his 87-year-old paternal great-grandmother, The Queen, visited the family at Kensington Palace Wednesday – when, PEOPLE reported, it was believed she would be discussing possible names. The chosen name carries a lot of sentimental meaning to William’s granny – it was the name picked by her beloved father when he became King George VI in 1936. His real name was Albert, and his story was told in 2010’s Oscar-winning Best Picture The King’s Speech . “George was a bit of a giveaway – it was bandied around so much and we expected it,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine tells PEOPLE. “And it is a nice tribute to the Queen’s father and grandfather [George V].” Alexander is believed to have been picked by the couple to honor the Queen, whose middle name is Alexandra. Little says the name Louis “is a nice tribute” to the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, whose grandfather was Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg.

Louis is also part of the baby’s father’s full name of William Arthur Philip Louis. It also has great meaning to William’s own father, Prince Charles, whose uncle and mentor, Earl Louis Mountbatten, was assassinated by the IRA in 1979. Kate and William decided on a name fairly quickly – William’s parents took a week to announce his name, while, back in 1948, Prince Charles wasn’t named for a month! Still to be seen: if Kate and William will give their first-born a nickname. George’s daddy has a couple of them – his mom, the late Princess Diana, used to call him “Wills,” while Kate reportedly calls him “Big Willie” – and his uncle Harry ‘s real name is Henry. Tell us, do you like the baby’s new name? Can’t get enough about the royal baby? Be among the first to know the news! Sign up below for our daily newsletter to find out about the new addition and other special offers – so you’ll be the first to know everything from the baby’s name to how the new mom and dad are adjusting to parenting. More on the Royal Baby: What Is Prince George Alexander Louis' Last Name?

Find Out the Royal Baby's Surname! | E! News What Is Prince George Alexander Louis' Last Name? Find Out the Royal Baby's Surname! By Email Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Think quick: What is Prince William 's (and by extension, the newly named Prince George 's) last name? Yes, that's a bit of a trick question because, while he does have a surname he whips out on occasion (surely his schoolmasters and Royal Air Force commanders needed something to bark at him other than "Your Highness!"), he is predominantly known by his formal title. NEWS: Kate Middleton gives birth to the royal baby! When utilizing a surname like ordinary folks, William and his brother, Prince Harry , (and now Prince George!) take a cue from father Charles, Prince of Wales' royal house and go by William Wales and Harry Wales. Now, presumably, William and Kate's firstborn son (and the same goes for subsequent brothers and sisters) will one day find himself in a situation where the ole Prince So-and-So won't quite fit the circumstances. So, what will the the kid go by in order to seem more like an, er, ordinary person?

Well, it turns out that his or her surname is actually up to mum and dad—and they have three choices. NEWS: Kate Middleton in labor, taken to hospital for birth of royal baby with Prince William by her side According to BBC News , the royal baby's last name could be Wales, like dad; Cambridge, like the royal house bestowed on his parents by Queen Elizabeth II when they got married; or Mountbatten-Windsor, the two-for-one surname of Prince Philip, who got Mountbatten for his maternal grandparents, and the queen, whose father, King George V, selected Windsor for his family in 1917. Look how modern Philip and Elizabeth were, adopting a hyphen like that back in the day! (Fun fact: An Order of Council mandated that their descendants could start using Mountbatten-Windsor in 1960, and it's the surname used by Charles and his sister, Princess Anne.) (Originally published June 26, 2013 @ 2:01 p.m. PT) Brazil E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our US edition? E!

Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our Canadian edition? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our UK edition? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our Australian edition? E! ist überall Dieser Inhalt ist für internationale Besucher verfügbar. Möchtest du ihn in der deutschen Version anschauen? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our German edition? E! est partout Une version adaptée de ce contenu est disponible pour notre public international. Souhaitez-vous voir ça dans notre édition française ? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our French edition? Yes! Kate Middleton royal baby live - Telegraph Duchess gives birth to future king - Tuesday as it happened Latest 21.12 Historian and royal biographer Robert Lacey has given his reaction to the naming of Prince George of Cambridge. He said: "George was a natural favourite to judge from the bookmakers.

They will have lost a lot of money, I think. George was the favourite name from the start and so in that sense the Duke and Duchess reflected a popular trend. I think Prince William said he wanted to get to know him before they chose the name so they must feel he is a George. "Alexander is a surprise. I'm not aware of any other Alexanders. I'm sure there must be reason for that, which I'm afraid I don't know. There's Alexander the Great, so there is a Greek connection. Louis is obviously a tribute to Lord Mountbatten." Related Articles Dan Stevens: Overdue news, homemade knitwear and family bonding 26 Jul 2013 Mr Lacey added that Prince Charles said previously "he had no idea what it was going to be. My guess is that it was very much the choice of the mother and father, but I'm sure they would have checked it with the Queen." Charles Kidd, editor of Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage said he thought Alexander would have been a personal choice of the new parents.

20.42 Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was named much more quickly than the last two future kings to be born, with the announcement of his name coming 50 hours after his birth. When George's father, William, arrived in 1982, the Prince and Princess of Wales waited seven days before deciding upon and announcing his chosen names - William Arthur Philip Louis. And for the Prince of Cambridge's grandfather, Prince Charles, people were kept waiting for a month as this was only declared ahead of his christening in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace in December 1948. Royal writer Christopher Warwick said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would have wanted to tell the Queen the names when she visited her new great-grandchild for the first time this afternoon at Kensington Palace. He said: "George is not terribly surprising. It's classic and traditional, but why not? "I think it's a good name for this little chap. It pays tribute to his grandfather because George is one of Charles's names and it pays tribute to George VI and follows the tradition of royal Georges.

It's a good choice." Prince Harry's name was announced much more quickly than that of his older brother, with the Palace confirming he would be called Henry but known as Harry on the day he left hospital. Royal writer Christopher Warwick thinks the Duke and Duchess would have wanted to tell the Queen the name of her great-grandson. 20.20 People have been giving their reaction to the name of the third in line to the throne. Siobhan Freegard, founder of Netmums, said the name George means farmer or earthworker but a recent poll on the website found mothers believe children with the name are "loyal, honest, talented, independent - but with a rebellious streak." She said: "George is a classic choice in memory of the Queen's own father King George VI and William's great grandfather. It's popular, classless and solidly royal." 19.39 A social historian suggested the use of three names for Prince George Alexander Louis - rather than four like both William and the Prince of Wales, or even seven like Edward VIII – could show a more modern approach by his parents.

Judith Rowbotham, a social historian at Nottingham Trent University said: “It shows how determined they are to go their own way.” Dr Rowbotham said she was surprised at the name of George, as the personal life of the other Prince George of Cambridge caused a scandal. But she said this must be considered in context and added: “His personal life was not to the pace of the Victorians but on the other hand he was a very good military commander and presided over a number of important reforms." 19.14 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are understood to have chosen all three names for their son themselves. Historian and biographer Robert Lacey said: "George is obviously a tribute to the Queen's father and will, I imagine, give Her Majesty great pleasure." 19.06 The first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is the second Prince of Cambridge, and the first was also called George. The first Prince George of Cambridge was a grandson of George III and the only son of Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge. Prince George of Cambridge was born in 1819 and refused to have an arranged marriage, and wed actress Sarah Louisa Fairbrother.

They married in 1847 when she was already the mother of two of his children and pregnant with his third. He became the second Duke of Cambridge after his father’s death, and served in the army in the Crimean War. He was promoted to Commander-in-Chief in 1887 and an equestrian statue of him stands in the middle of Whitehall in London. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince George of Cambridge. 18.54 Bookmakers William Hill say they are paying out a "six figure sum" to people who guessed the name of the third in line to the throne. But they said up until Monday the majority of bets were for a girl. Since June 22 William Hill have taken 3,400 bets on the name George with 25 of those being three figure bets, the biggest of which was a £500 wager at 2/1 on Tuesday. 18.47 Minutes after Prince George of Cambridge's name was announced, people from across the world were sharing the name on twitter, and 'George Alexander Louis' became the top trend on the site, with celebrities tweeting about the name and their own predictions.

&amp;lt;noframe&amp;gt;Twitter: Piers Morgan - Ahem.... &amp;amp;#62; RT &amp;lt;a href="" target="_blank"&amp;gt;@piersmorgan&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; 22 Jul PREDICTION: A boy, called George, weighing 8lbs 2oz &amp;lt;a href="" target="_blank"&amp;gt;#MysticMorgan&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/noframe&amp;gt; Ahem.... > RT @piersmorgan 22 Jul PREDICTION: A boy, called George, weighing 8lbs 2oz #MysticMorgan — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 24, 2013 18.37 Six King Georges have worn the crown throughout history since the German-born George I, the first Hanoverian king of Great Britain, acceded to the throne in 1714. The last was the Queen's father George VI who died in 1952 whose first name was actually Albert and was known to his family as Bertie.

He selected George, his fourth name, to use as Sovereign. George VI chose George in honour of his father George V. George is also the fourth name of the Prince of Wales - the baby's grandfather. Even Edward VIII had George among his seven names. The name George means farmer or earth worker. It was the 12th most popular name for boys born in England and Wales in 2011. St George, a fourth-century Christian martyr, is the patron Saint of England and represents honour, bravery and gallantry. The legend of George slaying a dragon and rescuing an innocent maiden is medieval. There has only been one other Prince of Cambridge and he was also called George. Prince George of Cambridge 18.32 Reporting from Kensington Palace, Ed Malnick described the reaction to the name. He wrote: "Foreign broadcasters grappled with the name before they went on air following the announcement. Questions overheard between presenters included "is he George VI or George VII?" and "is it 'Lou-ey' or 'Lou-iss?'" 18.27 One of Prince George 's middle names, Louis is also a middle name of his father the Duke of Cambridge.

He, in turn, was named after Louis Mountbatten, the great uncle of the Prince of Wales. Mountbatten, an admiral, statesman and the last viceroy of India was blown up the IRA in 1979, three years before the Duke’s birth. George is one of the Prince of Wales' middle names. Alexandra is the second name of the Queen, and may have been the influence for Alexander. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their first child, Prince George of Cambridge 18.22 Prince George of Cambridge will be George VII when he becomes king, following the Queen's father George VI. 18.20 Clarence House confirms the name of the royal baby, and that he will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. &amp;lt;noframe&amp;gt;Twitter: Clarence House - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis.&amp;lt;/noframe&amp;gt; 18.19 The royal baby has been named as George Alexander Louis. 18.08 Sources say the name of the royal baby is due to be released in about 15 minutes.

&amp;lt;noframe&amp;gt;Twitter: Gordon Rayner - Royal baby's name expected to be announced in about 15 mins. &amp;lt;a href="" target="_blank"&amp;gt;#royalbaby&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/noframe&amp;gt; 18.00 Telegraph reporter Sam Marsden reports that uniformed policed officers are guarding the Middletons' house in Bucklebury, but there are no signs of anyone coming or going from the property. 17.47 The Queen's visit to her great-grandson earlier today was a historic occasion as it is almost 120 years since a reigning monarch has met a future king three generations ahead. The previous occasion was when Queen Victoria saw her great-grandson Prince Edward, later Edward VIII, after his birth in 1894. 17.16 The company that made the shawl, chosen for the royal baby's first appearance, have seen a rush of orders since his appearance on the steps of the hospital.

GH Hurt & Son, which has a long-standing connection to the Royal Family, said it felt "honoured" that William and Kate had chosen its shawl for their baby's first public appearance. A spokeswoman for the firm, based in Chilwell in Nottinghamshire, said: We're working incredibly hard. It's taken us by surprise because we're a small family firm of less than 20 employees." 16.55 Designs for the official commemorative china to mark the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son have been released. The Royal Collection Trust is producing a pillbox, small loving cup, a dessert plate and a limited-edition loving cup to mark the arrival of the baby prince. There will be just 2,013 of the limited edition loving cup made. Each piece of china will be made in Stoke-on-Trent by the same potteries that produced the official range to celebrate the Cambridges' wedding in 2011. But full production is currently on hold until the royal baby is officially named.

All profits from the sale of the china collection, which is priced at £30 for the pillbox and £45 for the dessert plate, will go to the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. Next month the Trust will publish The Royal Baby Book: A Souvenir Album, which will tell the story of the birth and early childhood of past and future heirs to the throne, from Queen Victoria to William. It will feature more than 300 illustrations including childhood drawings, images of much-loved toys, historical photographs and pictures of the new royal baby. 15.50 The Prince of Wales said it was a "lovely surprise" to discover the royal baby was a boy. The Prince told an expectant mother that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not find out the sex of their baby son before he was born. He told pregnant Bethan Davies, 36, on a visit to Wales, that it was a surprise to find out his grandson was a boy. She told the Prince how friends had been taking bets on whether her baby would arrive before the newborn prince - and if it would be a boy or girl.

Mrs Davies, a farmer's wife, then told him that she had chose not to find out before the big day. The Prince replied: "It's better that way; we had a lovely surprise on Monday when our grandson was born." The Prince of Wales speaks with Bethan Davies, second left, at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd. Photo: PA 15.15 ITV beat the BBC in the ratings battle over the royal baby after seven million people tuned into Channel 3 to see the new arrival meet the world's press. The national news on ITV was extended for an extra 30 minutes after 7pm to capture the moment the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared with the new prince outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London and it was watched by an average audience of 6.9 million and 7.5 million at its peak. The BBC said a peak audience of 5.1 million people tuned in at 7.16pm - two minutes after the royals left the hospital for the first time - with 2.3 million watching on the news channel and another 2.8 watching on BBC1 after the corporation broke into The One Show to carry the story.

14.50 The Prince of Wales took the role of postman today when he agreed to deliver a well-wisher's card and a £10 note to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Royal fan Amanda Winney, 49, popped the cash into the card in the hope the royal couple splash out on a cuddly toy for their new son. Earlier she weaved her way through the throng at the hugely popular Royal Welsh Show, in mid Wales, to take pole position in the crowd as the Prince passed by. "He took the card, it's absolutely fantastic," an ecstatic Mrs Winney said. "It's amazing to meet him. He shouldn't really be here what with the new baby, but duty calls in his case. "But he took the card and said that he will pass it on, which is fantastic." She said the card, inside a pale blue envelope, depicted a baby in a cradle on the front. A crisp new £10 note was slipped inside. The Duke and Duchess arrive at the Middleton family home 14.35 Kensington Palace has issued a few snippets of information about the Prince's shawl, which he was seen wrapped up in yesterday as he left the Lindo wing at St Mary's.

It's apparently from GH Hurt and Son Ltd, which has a long-standing connection with the Royal Family. Other members of the Royal Family have been presented with these shawls inthe past and the Duke of Cambridge had a similar shawl when he was a baby. The scene outside Kensington Palace this morning. Photo: PA 14.15 Away from the action in Bucklebury, the BBC has been forced to defend its coverage of the royal baby after viewers complained there was too much of it and it was too unbalanced in favour of the Royal Family. It said "care" had been taken to ensure other stories were covered alongside the latest royal arrival and added that the story had been "extremely popular" with audiences. The corporation said its coverage, including the announcement of the birth and the appearance of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with the new prince, "received complaints from some viewers who feel there has been too much coverage of the royal baby story and also from some who feel that the coverage has been biased in favour of the monarchy".

A statement on the BBC's complaints website said: "Monday was the biggest global day and second biggest UK day ever for BBC News Online, with 19.4 million unique browsers globally and 10.8 million from the UK. "We are satisfied that our audiences had both the best coverage of a major historical event - the birth of a new heir to the throne - as well as options to view other news across BBC output as a whole. "We have also been careful to feature a range of contributors and opinions across our coverage, including those who do not support the monarchy or the attention this event has received. This included featuring the opinions of Republic, which campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, and a number of other voices." The clean-up operation begins outside the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital. Photo: Getty Images 14.00 The royal couple were helped into the Middleton estate by a marked Thames Valley Police van, which blocked off the entrance to the country road leading to the house. Two uniformed officers sood guarding the entrance to the road. A second black Range Rover followed the car carrying the Duke and Duchess and is believed to be transporting security staff.

13.45 The Duke and Duchess are understood to have arrived at the Middleton's house in Bucklebury. Two vehicles matching the description of those leaving Kensington Palace were seen entering the family property at 1.45pm. &amp;lt;noframe&amp;gt;Twitter: Sky News Newsdesk - Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with their new son have arrived at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury in Berkshire &amp;lt;a href="" target="_blank"&amp;gt;#RoyalBabyBoy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/noframe&amp;gt; 13.35 Around the Middleton's £5 million home in Bucklebury, police have erected a line of yellow cones with a "no waiting" symbol along both sides of the road for around a mile either side of the Middleton household. A pair of police officers are guarding both entrances to the house, while marked police cars are driving past every couple of minutes. A yellow sign pinned to a road sign explained an emergency three-week by-law prohibited waiting in the road, while a police horsebox was also seen arriving in the village at lunchtime.

We are yet to see whether the car leaving Kensington Palace earlier carrying the Duke, Duchess and their newborn son is headed towards the Bucklebury property, but it looks increasingly likely that it is. 13.25 The Queen earlier paid a visit to Kensington Palace. Here she is arriving in a dark green Bentley: 13.15 Ed Malnick, who's at Kensington Palace, spotted the Duke and Duchess as they left in their car. Prince William wore an open-necked blue shirt and sported a pair of glasses. His wife, wearing sunglasses, was in the back of the car gazing at their baby son and was seen to wave briefly at a small gathering of well wishers. The Duke and Duchess pictured as they left Kensington Palace 13.05 Telegraph photographers stationed in Bucklebury are reporting that police are herding the media back from their position near the Middleton household, in what seems like preparation for the impending arrival of the Duke and Duchess. 13.00 Prince Harry has also visited the Duke and Duchess and seen the new baby, Kensington Palace has said. He went undetected by the world's media, it seems. 12.55 The Duke and Duchess have left Kensington Palace in a Range Rover.

The Duke sat in the front, while the Duchess sat in the back with the baby seat. 12.40 Even when we eventually find out what the new Prince will be called, we can't assume that he will use the same name when he eventually becomes King. As when he accedes to the throne, he could decide to change his name. Historically monarchs do not always rule under their first given name. The last king - George VI - was actually called Albert and known to his family as "Bertie". But he ruled under his fourth middle name George in honour of his father George V and to symbolise the continuation of the monarchy after the scandal caused by the abdication of his brother Edward VIII. Queen Victoria was actually named Alexandrina Victoria and as a child was nicknamed Drina, but ruled as Victoria which she is said to have preferred. Today's Sun front page 12.15 Ed Malnick updates us from outside Kensington Palace. He writes: The press pack awaiting any news of the new prince appear to have learned lessons from days spent in hot conditions outside the Lindo wing, where the baby was born.

Photographers waiting outside Kensington Palace could be seen passing around a bottle of sun cream to protect themselves from the midday sun. 11.45 Telegraph reporter Edward Malnick is down at Kensington Palace. The Queen looked "upbeat" as she left the Duke and Duchess, he reports, after a visit lasting slightly more than half an hour. She wore a floral turquoise outfit with a pearl necklace and earings. 11.35 The Queen has now left Kensington Palace after a 30-minute visit to see the Duke, Duchess and her great grandson. The Queen pictured as she arrived at Kensington Palace 11.20 The Queen's visit comes as she prepares to head to Balmoral on Friday for her traditional summer break. She made the short journey from Buckingham Palace in a dark green Bentley to visit the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. After the excitement of the infant's first public appearance, a Kensington Palace spokesman stressed the Duke and Duchess were now focused on the age-old job of caring for their baby. He said: "This is now private and quiet time for them to get to know their son." 11.05 In fact, the Queen has now arrived at Kensington Palace to visit her great grandson.

Photo:EPA 11.00 The Queen has spoken of her excitement at the birth of her first great grandson saying “the first born is very special” as she was expected to see the baby for the first time today. The Duke of Cambridge called his grandmother with details of the birth on Monday afternoon, but she decided not to visit the baby in hospital. Speaking last night at Buckingham Palace, the Queen told a guest she was “thrilled” at the arrival of her first great-grandson. As she was hosting a reception for 350 representatives of companies who have been given the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, her thoughts were clearly never far from the Duke and Duchess’s baby. Louise Butt, of Bath-based science marketing firm Select Science, said the Queen told her that her new great-grandson is a “big boy”. “She said she is thrilled," Mrs Butt said. “She said the first born is very special. We agreed.” The Times front page this morning 10.40 Features writer Joe Shute was out and about yesterday at Buckingham Palace, trying to get a glimpse of the famous easel. As he found out, that was no easy task. Ever tried to read a Royal declaration in three seconds flat?

It gives you just enough time for the gilded frame, expensive paper and elegant signatures to blur into one illegible mass, before a sturdy hand gets placed on your shoulder. “Sorry sir, could you move along please,” says a polite if slightly scary security guard keeping watch on the easel outside the gates of Buckingham Palace. “Your time is up”. “But it’s only been three seconds,” I protest. “You should count yourself lucky. Later on it will be down to two.” This was the experience shared by thousands of well-wishers at the gates of Buckingham Palace today, as the spontaneous celebrations of the birth of the Prince of Cambridge turned into something very British: a queue. And a long one at that. 10.10 The royal baby will grow up to be determined but introverted – and a big hit with the ladies – Chinese fortune tellers have predicted. The young prince, born at 4:24pm on Monday in the sixth month of the Chinese Year of the Snake, will find romance abroad, Hong Kong-based fortune teller Mak Ling-ling told AFP. "It's likely he will have to go overseas, perhaps representing the army or going to a boarding school. He will also find romantic relationships overseas.

His marriage will arrive between 30 and 35 years of age," she said. Au Chung-tak, who like Mak is a practitioner of the art of feng shui in Hong Kong, warned that the new prince should live near trees to counteract his strong appeal to the opposite sex. "If he wants to be stable (in marriage) he must not live close to water. Instead, he should live by the trees," Au said. According to feng shui, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby boy has strong "earth" characteristics, making him headstrong and determined. "He is stubborn because he has a high sense of responsibility. He will always try to achieve his goals with great endurance," said Mak. Photo: Getty 09.45 The Telegraph's Daniel Johnson has done a round-up of what all the UK front pages say this morning .

The Sun: The Son returned to being The Sun this morning, as they chose a slightly more light-hearted take on the pictures splashed across most of the newspapers with the headline: “The fresh prince” The Daily Mirror: Like many others, the Mirror focuses on what is thought to be the new prince’s first royal wave, although the main picture is of the moment the royal couple emerged from St Mary’s hospital with their baby for the first time. Their front page story read: “Our future king shows he’s already got the hang of royal life – by giving a little wave to the nation”. The Guardian: The Guardian, in tune with the “republican” tab it offered readers on its website, has perhaps unsurprisingly chosen to feature stories other than the royal birth on its front page. But alongside a picture of the royal family emerging from the hospital, they describe is as the “first day in the new job for third in line to the throne”. The Independent: Out of the eight stories on The Independent’s front page, the royal birth does not even get a look in. Instead it features an exclusive story about the company which runs Formula One and their tax arrangements.

The Times: Continuing with another wraparound, The Times also focuses on the new prince and his “first royal wave”, but the image is slightly more zoomed out than the Mail, as you can see the baby held in the Duchess of Cambridge’s arms. The Daily Mail: The Mail’s front page is probably both the most intrusive but also the best picture of the royal baby, as they chose to zoom close in, so much so that both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are not even featured. 09.35 We're still none the wiser as to when we might know the name of the new Prince but here's a reminder of the latest odds: Bookmakers William Hill have backed George as the favourite at 2/1, while James is 4/1 and Alexander is 9/1. 09.15 There's been much talk of the exhaustive media coverage of the royal baby story. BBC journalist Henry Clarke Price is evidently feeling the after-effects of days of waiting for news. Is there a support group for people who worked on #RoyalBaby coverage? My dreams have started to look like this.

08.50 The media may have decamped from outside the Lindo wing of St Mary's but they've far from lost interest in the royal baby. Sky News presenter Paul Harrison tweets this picture from outside Kensington Palace: #royal #kate It's not on scale of Lindo wing - but it's early yet - keep the noise down, #royalbaby sleeping 08.30 The Queen took a month to announce the name of her first-born son. Royal watchers were hoping that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proved to be rather more decisive , Victoria Ward reports. The Duke of Cambridge said today that they were still working on a name. Asked if he was going to call the child George, he replied: “Wait and see, wait and see.” Such delays have almost become a part of royal tradition, with the public often left guessing for several days. When the Duke was born in 1982, his parents waited a week before announcing his name, amid speculation that the Princess of Wales liked Sebastian and Oliver while her husband was hoping to call him Albert.

Whenever the decision is made, the third in line to the throne is certain to be given several middle names, including at least one or two that have been passed down through the monarchy. The Prince of Wales was christened Charles Philip Arthur George, while the Duke of Cambridge is called William Arthur Philip Louis. The bookmakers’ favourite for the new Prince is George, closely followed by James. Both names, with six kings called George and two called James, would be considered suitably regal and traditional. Henry, which is Prince Harry’s official name, is also in the running, with Alexander and Louis. Photo: Reuters 08.10 Amongst all the baby cheer, there are still some who are not so delighted by the birth of a new royal. As we report in today's Mandrake, leading Liberal Democrat Lord Oakeshott has described the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby as a bad bay for "social mobility" .

On a social networking site, Lord Oakeshott wrote: “Not a great day for social mobility in 21st century Britain." 07.50 The Telegraph's deputy fashion editor Luke Leitch has been analysing the royal couple's choice of outfits as they made their first public appearance. They both seemed to nod to the past while emphasising the present, he writes in this morning's Telegraph: The new mother chose a specially made dress by the British designer Jenny Packham, whose office sent out a press release within minutes of its first appearance in the Lindo wing's doorway...31 years ago, when Prince William himself was a babe in arms, his own mother wore a very similarly patterned - but much more fussily designed - frock as she faced photographers outside the Lindo wing. The Duke of Cambridge, by contrast, seemed to have thrown his look together. Dark blue trousers held up with a jazzy Aztec patterned belt completed an ensembled topped with his favourite off-duty garment, an entirely inoffensive light blue shirt. It was the way he wore it, sleeves tightly rolled up to the elbow semaphored only one intention: to get stuck into fatherhood.

07.25 More than 18,000 people a minute tweeted about the royal baby as he made his first public appearance with his parents, Twitter said. The figure was short of the peak of 25,300 tweets per minute which mentioned the baby on the social network last night after his birth was announced, it said. The total number of tweets posted about the baby number runs into the millions, Twitter said, with its figures showing more than two million were posted up to last night. More up to date figures are not yet available. Prince Charles and Princess Diana relaxing in a park in Auckland, New Zealand, with Prince William, during their 1983 royal tour. Photo: Rex 07.10 First to visit the royal couple yesterday were Carole and Michael Middleton. Breaking with protocol, they visited the future king before the royal family - and even arrived in a taxi. Bryony Gordon was outside the Lindo wing to witness their arrival: Did they hail the taxi on the street? Did Michael stick out one hand and whistle, before announcing: "To Paddington, please driver!" How much, exactly, was the fare, and were they generous with their tip?

Yesterday afternoon the Middletons became the royal baby's first visitors, drawing up to the Lindo wing in a dusty old hackney carriage, their mode of transport an apt symbol of the wonderful normality they have brought to the royal family. The little prince may be a future king, but let us not forget that one of his grandfathers is a former flight dispatcher, his grandmother an air hostess who was once mocked for her lowly job. Boy oh boy is "Doors-to-manual" laughing now. The royal baby has brought celebrations across the world: 06.50 Chief reporter Gordon Rayner reports that the baby could tour the globe in his first year . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby could travel around the world before his first birthday if, as expected, they travel as a family to Australia and New Zealand next year. The young Prince William made the same trip when he accompanied his parents on their six-week tour of Australasia in 1983, staying with his nanny on a ranch in the outback where his parents visited him as often as they could. The Duke and Duchess visited Canada for their first joint foreign tour in 2011, then visited the Far East last year.

Because Australia and New Zealand, together with Canada, make up the largest of the Commonwealth realms, the couple seem certain to put them next on their itinerary. The choice of Australia for the new baby’s first official trip abroad would not only make up for the fact that the country has had to wait so long to see the Duchess, but would also have the benefit of shoring up support for the monarchy in a country where republicanism is never far from the political agenda. The new-born baby boy sits in a car seat as he leaves the hospital where he was born. Photo: AFP/Getty 06.40 Good morning and welcome to day three of our coverage following the birth of the new baby Prince.

Question: Give either of the middle names of Prince George of Cambridge?
Answer: Alexander Louis